From a local perspective, Beacon of Hope Resources Center is an excellent choice (among many) for BLOG2NOLA support

on a personal note, I hope future BLOG cruises do something like this for the host departure city

I have a very close friend who is a teacher in the public school district in New Orleans(she can't come with us because it's the school year, but will be my guest for the friday evening activities) and she often comments about as the schools are being rebuilt, the lack of books in the school libraries...the public library system in New Orleans is still in shambles and in the lower 9th ward, the school's library is often the only place the community can obtain reading materials

I was wondering if CruiseMates that are coming to New Orleans for BLOG2NOLA could perhaps bring a book with them (or make a small donation and the school can purchase books) that can be donated to her school's library...She teaches at a middle school (grades 6 thru 9) in the lower 9th ward ...looking for something age appropriate and perhaps travel related

If other Cruise Mates who could not join us want to make a donation, that would be fine also...I know we CM'ers love to read and we want to encourage young people to embrace that love also

I'm going to ask my teacher friend to give me some additional information so I can post on these boards..surprisingly she has never been on a cruise before and she loves jazz more then i do...so perhaps if my fellow cruisemates donate enough books..her principal will be so happy that she will be allowed to go on a smooth jazz cruise with me next year

If you could get us the name of the school, I'm going to talk to John and Carnival and see if we can't make this a project for the entire bloggers cruise. That way we might be able to get the school 500 + books.

Venice,
Big ED's EVIL Krewe wants to help please let us know when you want the books collected by. I think we have about 20 or so members who are wiling to donate books some teachers who have old text books for some of those grades that are willing to help. Please let me know what we can do to assist you.

Venice, due to the airline baggage issues I think it might be better to ship books ahead. Is it possible to get an address where we can ship books ahead of our actual arrival in NOLA. I think I can get my friends to help with this one. Thanks, Mike

Venice, due to the airline baggage issues I think it might be better ship books ahead. Is it possible to get an address where we can ship books ahead of our actual arrival in NOLA. I think I can get my friends to help with this one. Thanks, Mike

Mike.. you could just send the books to your hotel if you found that easiest. I've sent stuff to my hotels before, to be waiting when I check in.

Thanks to something else Venice has been working on, we may have a very special event on Saturday before boarding. If that falls into place, it might also be the best time for everyone to bring their books.

The event will be announced once everything is in place. We can't say anything about it until it's finalized, and all details are set in place.

I just got back from the library, and had the librarian help me go through a selection of age appropriate, discarded booked that had just been put out....For various reasons, age, uncirculated, etc, these books make it to the table...We selected only those that, are not outdated, historical travel and science, and, crafts, titles...

I am now going to see, per the librarian, if, I can get a donation from UPS to ship them down..I don't expect this, but asking won't hurt...

Trip..thank you so much for your support..hopefully I'll catch up to my teacher friend at church on Sunday and I'll invite her to a Jazz Brunch and can find out her progress...As you well know, the first week of school is crazy for teachers

Lisa..thanks...I have been very busy at work and my teacher friend has been busy with the first few weeks of school but we will hopefully connect the weekend after labor day and then i can post the specific information about the schools

funny you should ask about updates the two hurricanes has sort of thrown every one off schedule and i happen to tex my school teacher friend and it looks like we are going to connect this Sunday at brunch so i will be able to post an update next week

thanks for asking..we have the designated school and the principal has given us her wish list...Kuki is working very closely with Carnival Corp and John to coordinate a plan to help..once that it finalized we will post

Unfortunately this has become a bit more complicated than it started out to be. The principal of the school has supplied "her wish list"... which is really cash donations to purchase text books.

While I'm all for chartible work and charitable donations I'm sorry but I don't feel I can use the CruiseMates site, or the group cruise to ask participants to direct their cash donations to a specific charity.... though it may be one of the most deserving out there.

I have no doubt some people will disagree with my decision. But I just don't feel right directing people to spend on one charity over another.

If anyone would like the contact information to make a donation I have no problem at all supplying it.